


Czarina

by BadWolfWriter



Category: Marvel, The Avengers (2012)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-16
Updated: 2013-11-10
Packaged: 2017-11-29 13:12:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/687333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BadWolfWriter/pseuds/BadWolfWriter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hawkeye and Black Widow are sent on a mission to the Red Room. On the job, they pick up a young Red Room trainee. The assassins are stranded with the child in a snow storm. They become attached to the girl and she brings them closer than ever.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"We need you to slip in, grab information, and get out." Fury explained roughly. "Out of all of SHIELD, You two know Red Room best."

The assassins shared a look. They did not wish to be shipped off to Russia. That being a mutual feeling, they held their tongues. Nick Fury was not a force to be reckoned with. Before they could blink, they were on a plane. A large, snowy mountain range covered up the Red Room base. Clint knew very well that Natasha was the best woman for the mission. He also knew what this visit could jeopardize. Under the circumstances that she were caught, he may not ever be able to get Natasha back. Red Room could flip a mental switch in her and turn on the coldhearted Natalia Romanov as easily as a lamp. He was nervous going in. Natasha was his partner and the only person he could trust. Neither of them had family in their lives so they relied on each other. Clint knew that Natasha preferred freshly brewed coffee so black, it could make a grown man wretch. He knew she hated hip-hop and enjoyed washing her dishes by hand. Natasha knew that he was as scarred up as her, although he tried to cover that with illy placed humor. She knew he could cook better than any five-star chef and he loved apple juice with a passion. They were partners: they went drinking together, trained together, fought together, kept each other sane, and mended each other's wounds. This mission put their partnership to the ultimate test.

Their suits had been modified for the cold trip. Natasha's suit was upgraded to a thick fabric that would keep her warm in extreme temperatures rather than the normal leather. Her heeled boots were lined with fur. In a small, collapsible container, she had a fur hooded parka. In case they were caught in the weather, the jacket would provide a bit extra warmth. Clint was less than satisfied with his new suit. His vest had been transformed into a thick, kevlar turtleneck. He entered Natasha's room grumbling.

"Can I help you?" Natasha held back a laugh.

"Please." Clint sighed.

Natasha took a knife to his neck. In one swift movement, she cut through the seam attaching the extended neck cover. Standing on tiptoes, she pulled it over his head.

"I hate things around my neck." He complained.

"What was that?" Natasha held the knife to his neck.

"Thank you." Clint grinned.

"You're welcomed." Natasha smirked, "Now go get dressed."

"Aye aye, captain." Clint winked and walked off.

He slipped on his boots and the heavy jacket that SHIELD provided him with. They were thick and cumbersome but he decided not to question it. The assassins were loaded up on a helicopter and shipped out immediately. They were made to jump from the craft to reach their destination.

Up until escaping headquarters, everything had gone smoothly. In fact, the corridors were eerily quiet. Natasha began to worry about where all the girls were. Possibly, they were under a sleep cycle, something they did once a month where they put every down for two days. Natasha received the information she required. Clint had taken out a couple guards before they could even open their mouths. Natasha was able to enter the passwords to get into the high security vaults. She was mildly shocked, deep down, to discover they were unchanged. The information they needed was on Red Room drugs. SHIELD needed to make sure that they weren't near Steve Rogers status on their super steroids. The coded information was quickly downloaded onto a hard drive stick. Tony Stark would decipher it later. As they snuck out, they reached a problem. The exit was surrounded by guards and they were closed in upon from the opposite side. The guards seemed surprised to see the two. They fought side by side as they always did. Their skill sets complement each other. The guards were down to three. Natasha's equipment was smashed to bits. Clint was completely out of arrows. It was then that they saw what the goonies had truly been gathered for. A small girl lay on the floor. She couldn't have been older than eight but she wore a Red Room uniform. Her blonde hair was grayed from exertion. It was strikingly evident that the guards had been hurting her. Her ankle was twisting out an odd angle and there were cuts along her arms. Her face was bruised but bright blue eyes peered up at the pair. The sight made the assassins sick. Clint was pissed off beyond belief. He had been on edge in the facilities to begin with, knowing what these labs had done to Natasha, but seeing this girl struck something in him. Natasha could see the anger in his eyes as he surged forward.

Two guards were down before Natasha could take down the third. They put up a true Red Room fight once they had lost their shock. Despite their efforts, Clint was not a force to be reckoned with in his rage. Natasha had only seen him like this once before, when she had been compromised.

The mission was in the very beginning of their partnership, all those years ago. Natasha had to seduce some information out of a Russian dealer. He was a sociopath. He took her gig a little too seriously. Rather than getting the information she needed, she received a plethora of bruises. He was not supposed to be killed. Natasha was out of her element, unable to fight her own. Because she was new to SHIELD she couldn't bring herself to hit the man. If that were out of line, if she were fired, what would she be left with? Clint was on watch above. He realized quickly that something was going wrong. There was too little talking. When he saw what the man was doing to her, he was infuriated. No scum like him should ever have the chance to even look at, nonetheless take advantage of, something so beautiful as his partner. Before the dealer could even know, there was an arrow lodged in his temple. A blood spattered Natasha wept in Clint's arms for the first time that night. That wasn't the first night she wasn't strong but the first that she trusted him enough to see inside.

Clint grabbed the jugular of one guard and threw him into the other. He stepped on the downed men's backs.

"You sicken me." He hissed before breaking their necks with a violent snap.

Natasha and the young girl hardly flinched. The last guard was killed by Natasha's last knife in his stomach. Natasha picked the girl up. Her eyes grew wide.

"Black Widow?" The girl asked in a hushed voice.

Natasha was caught off guard by the comment. She didn't know that she was known to the recruits. She was their best agent of course, but she had gotten out. They would have covered that up.

"You are." The girl said again. "The rumors were true."

"Rumors?" Natasha asked lightly.

"How did you get out?" The girl asked.

"A little birdy showed me the way." Natasha replied sadly. She saw herself in the young girl.

"Please put me down." The girl asked.

As Natasha complied, the girl fell over. Clint was at her side immediately.

"Stay strong, sweetheart." He said steadily. "We'll get you out of here."

"The doors are on Lockdown, Hawkeye." Natasha informed him.

"Hawkeye?" The girl rasped. "A bird. You will help me?"

"Yeah." Clint gave the girl a small smile. "What's your name, hun?"

"Темный хищника" The girl said, almost robotically.

Natasha bit back her anger. "Dark Predator."

"Your real name, sweetie." Clint asked.

"царица." The girl replied after a moment.

"Czarina." Natasha translated. "What a beautiful name."

The girl made a sour face, rejecting the compliment. Natasha understood.

"Where are the other girls?" She asked.

"They were shipped out." The girl coughed. "I hid. The guards caught me but you got them."

"Where are they now?" Clint asked.

"New facilities." She said weakly. "This is the Director's headquarters now. Training was to take place somewhere else now. I didn't want to g-"

The girl collapsed into a fit of coughs. Clint picked her up. The small blond wrapped her arms around his neck and fell asleep.

"How do we get out, Tasha?" Clint asked after a moment.

"The director is still here." She replied. "Otherwise, the base would be destroyed by now. We need to figure it out fast."

"I have a last resort left." Clint said softly.

"What is it?" Natasha queried.

"I put a bomb in my communicator band." Clint raised his fist to show her. "If I ever got captured again, I never wanted to leak any more information. I'm too weak. I figured I'd end it."

"Clint," Natasha muttered. "Loki is gone. We weren't prepared for anything like that. You are strong."

"No." Clint said simply.

"That's amazing, you know." Natasha told him, gesturing to the girl clinging to him. It amazed him that she could find so many strengths through his weaknesses. "She is trained to trust no one. She knew who I was and didn't want me touching her."

"Maybe I have a thing for Red Room girls." Clint said lightheartedly.

"I think you do." Natasha smiled crookedly at her partner. "You have a way of calm that makes us want to crawl up in your arms and fall asleep."

"Is that so?" Clint prodded. "You're welcomed to."

"Get us out of here, bird brain." Natasha rolled her eyes.

"Alright." Clint pulled the pin out of his watch. "Stand back."

Clint chucked the band towards the closest set of metal doors. He ran away from the door with the girl in his arms. Natasha was right behind him. Clint crouched to the ground, unnecessarily but protectively, covering the girl with his body. Natasha crouched beside them and Clint pulled her into his embrace, chuckling.

"Like a happy family," Clint whispered.

"A happy family waiting for explosives to go off," Natasha scoffed.

"Sounds about right for us." Clint grinned crookedly.

The bomb went off behind them. Clint hugged the girl impossibly closed to him. There was a blast of heat at their backs as the explosion died off. Then, just a suddenly, a gust of snow came rolling in. There was a blizzard outside. Natasha unfolded her pocket parka and dressed Czarina. The girl was sleeping heavily and did not stir. They knew they would have to wake her soon for fear she had a concussion. They fought their way into the snow storm. Natasha held her communicator to her mouth as they ran. The explosion was sure to attract attention.

"Base, good news please." Natasha demanded.

"Can I have Clint?" An agent chirped through the intercom.

Natasha grumbled and passed the com.

"She won't kill you." The agent covered for his cowardice.

"Whatever. Just tell me when you can get us." Clint replied roughly.

"Funny thing... We can't get you until this storm passes."

"Hilarious," Clint said. "What do you expect us to do out here?"

"We've tracked your position and found an old cabin nearby. No life signals are present. You can inhabit that. It's a mile to the west."

"How long do you think we will be stuck?"

"Four days maximum." The Agent squeaked.

"Let us know." Clint tossed the com to Natasha after powering it down. He began to lead her in the right direction.

"What's the news they were too afraid to tell me?" Natasha asked.

"We're stuck in an old cabin for a few days." Clint replied.

"Cowards." She growled at the band.

"We've been through worse, Tasha." He assured her.

"We've never had a kid with us!" Natasha exclaimed.

"Like I said: We'll be like a happy, sadistic, and mentally disturbed family."

"Clint." Natasha said softly.

"I know," He returned. "We can do this, though. I know we can."

"I know."

It wasn't long before they encountered the cabin. It was old but well built and warm. Clint started a fire in the fireplace. There was a few logs for fuel. They would have to find more at a later point. The inside had a twin bed, a few tattered blankets, some canned food, an old stove, and a large chair. All of it was in a single room. Natasha tucked Czarina into the chair. It was right in front of the fireplace. She wrapped her in the few blankets they had.

"Czarina?" Natasha called softly.

The girl stirred.

"Open your eyes."

Czarina jumped awake. She looked frantic.

"It's okay," Clint promised her. "You're safe. Go to sleep."

"I have a concussion." The girl informed the two.

"We figured as much." Natasha told her. "We'll take care of you."

She slipped a pill from the pocket in her utility belt. It was advanced healing medicine from SHIELD. It would help the girl heal in no time, kill her pain, and allow her to sleep through the night. "Swallow this."

Czarina did as she was told. Clint tucked the blankets around her again and kissed her forehead. The girl drifted to sleep almost instantly.

"You really do have a magic touch." Natasha remarked quietly.

"I'm glad I do." Clint smiled lightly. "Where would I be without it? I wouldn't have you around."

"Shut up, you lug." Natasha kissed him lightly.

Clint kissed her back. "I mean it."

"I know." Natasha leaned into him.

Clint shrugged off his jacket and wrapped it over Natasha's shaking frame.

"Clint, don't." She tried to escape it to no avail.

"You need it more than I do." He told her.

"Fine." Natasha pressed another kiss to his lips. "Sleep?"

"Sleep." Clint agreed.

They walked over to the small bed and curled up together. They fell asleep, only warmed by each other. It was a natural thing for the two of them. Missions had them constantly relying on each other and most had put them in closer situations. They were not a couple by any conventional sense of the word. They cared deeply for each other, they trusted each other wholeheartedly, they kissed like it was nothing, and sometimes they were teenagers in love, bringing each other to the edge. Maybe this night would have been a night of the latter if Czarina were not there. But tonight they were parents and mature and still in love.


	2. Chapter 2

Natasha and Clint woke up late that night to screaming. Czarina was crying out from her place beside the fire. She had awoken from a nightmare.

"Czarina, honey," Clint soothingly pet the blonde's hair. "Do you want to talk about it."

A hard look took over Czarina's eyes, as if she were considering her options. She could trust her protector or she could stay sealed up. It had taken a few weeks to open Natasha up and years for her to open up to anyone besides him. Clint knew very well that the girl may not answer him and he was okay with that. Natasha knew the child's dreams all too well, the look in her eyes gave the dreams away, and she knew how hard they were to get through. Eventually the small girl crumbled into Clint's arms.

"It was a bad dream." Czarina cried. "I was back in the training room. They- they made-"

Czarina couldn't finish the sentence. She was sobbing into the archer's arms.

"It was about initiation." Natasha stated softly. Initiation was when they made you kill your first victim. The victim was always your roommate who you had grown close to over the days or years. The two of you were made to fight to the death. In the end, you had your own room. The Room saw that as fighting for rewards. The room was just empty and silent after that. Natasha crouched so that she could provide some comfort to the girl.

It took an hour to get the girl yawning again. Rather than making the child talk about her dream, they decided to tell her stories about their lives. Clint began with how the partners had met each other. He told the entire story with a smile on his face. He only had eyes for that little girl. She hung off of his every word.

"I was sent to kill the Black Widow," Clint began his story

"We fought for sixty minutes, one on one, before he could catch me." Natasha added.

"Why were you gun kill her?" Czarina asked.

"She was a threat to SHIELD." Clint said simply. "They wanted her gone."

"Do they want me gone?" Czarina whispered.

"No, hun." Natasha smiled at her, trying to comfort the broken child in her own broken way.

"They want to protect the girls of the Red Room." Clint told her. "We were there to make sure they didn't have any new techniques to hurt you."

Czarina nodded her head. "What happened next?"

"I was about to drive the knife into her throat.," Clint said, "But then I saw something that made me make a different call."

"What was it?" Czarina asked, her eyes bright.

"I looked into her eyes and I saw myself." Clint said simply. "I saw in her eyes her loss, pain, and her past. It was everything that I had been. I needed to help her."

Czarina gasped. "That's so romantic."

"I thought so," Clint chuckled, "but Natasha here just hit me for years before giving in."

"You hit Clint!?" Czarina demanded grumpily from the red head.

"I had been in the Red Room twelve years at that point," Natasha smiled at the blond. "I was taught to hit anyone."

"I was bruised for a couple of months." Clint grinned. "But even after all of that, I couldn't help but admire how strong she is."

"I want to be strong like you, Nasha!" Czarina had trouble saying the Black Widow's name. "I want to turn things around."

"You're still good," Natasha reassured her. "You don't need to turn things around. We can try to get a normal life for you."

The girl was silent in thought.

Suddenly, she asked, "Are you guys married?"

Clint laughed aloud. "Even if we had the time, it'd probably get us fired."

"No!" Czarina exclaimed."That's bad!"

"What's wrong, Czarina?" Natasha asked with humour in her voice.

"You guys are in LOVE!" She said exuberantly. "You gosta get married."

"We're okay with just being us." Natasha assured her after the initial shock of the comment. Not many could pick out their affection.

To prove that point, Clint took Nat's hand in his.

"D'you have kids like me?"

"No, we don't have kids."Clint replied almost sadly.

"The Red Room took that ability away from me." Natasha whispered.

"Thas too bad. You'd be-" Her sentence was interrupted by a yawn. "Be a good mommy and daddy."

Clint lay the girl back in her chair. He fluffed up the ratty cushion to attempt to make it comfortable. He tucked her in one last time for the night. The duo walked back to bed hand in hand. For the first time in a long time, Natasha fells asleep with a grin on her face, her head pressed up against his toned chest. She was too happy but maybe that was just right for this moment. For a moment, they actually were just a happy super assassin family. Clint pressed a kiss to her hair before falling asleep. Natasha had not rejected wanting to marry him or wanting to have kids. It was all impossible, yes, but that sliver of hope made him the happiest man alive.

There was no sunlight the next morning. A storm still raged outside of the cozy cabin. Wind whistled through the rickety shingles of the shack. Natasha awoke first, still warm from Clint's body heat. Her wrist band told her that it was eight AM. Czarina needed to be woken up soon, so that she could be scanned over. Natasha stretched as much as she could in the confinement of the archer's arms. She kissed him awake.

"Mmm." Clint grumbled as she pulled away. "Good Morning, Tash."

"Get up, lazy." Natasha prodded at his side. As she began to stand, her partner pulled her back down to him.

"Don't make me." Clint pouted. He looked at her with sleep in his eyes. "Have I ever told you how beautiful you look in the morning."

"Even if you say it now, we still have to get up." Natasha chastised him, "Czarina needs a checkup."

Clint took a moment to kiss Natasha before he woke up the child. Then he jumped up from the bed. He tiptoed over to the sleeping form in front of the fizzling fire. She was breathing heavily and Clint let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding. Czarina had survived the night with her injuries.

"Wake up sweetie." Clint urged the blond.

Czarine opened her eyes without hesitation. "Clint!" she grinned happily.

"Hey." His smile in that moment melted Natasha cold heart into a puddle of goop. She wanted to beat him to death (Natalia urged that in the back of her mind) and make out with him viciously all at the same time. Maybe both, she thought with a chuckle.

"I need to go out and find something for the fire." Clint told the girl. He kissed her forehead and walked to Natasha.

"Be back soon." He told her.

"I'll take care of her, Clint." Natasha promised.

Clint was gone with a woosh of snow through the door frame.

"Come on, sweetie." Natasha urged the girl out of her chair.

As the girl stood, she nearly crumpled over. She layed on her knees on the dusty wood floor.

"Tell me what hurts." Natasha urged her. It hurt her to the very core to see this girl fall so hard. She could see tears welling up in her eyes. She resisted the urge to pull the blond into her arms.

"My tummy hurts." Czarina sniffled. "I think I got kicked in it."

"Anywhere else sweetheart?" Natasha prompted.

"My ankle is sprained." The girl told her.

"Is that all?" Natasha asked

"Yes." the girl sniffed.

Natasha decided she would wrap the girl's ankle first. She could more immediately remedy that wound. She cut strip from the bottom of Clint's jacket to use as gauze. Her Ankle was set in no time.

"Let me go see if any of this food is edible." Natasha put a hand up to tell Czarina to stay. "I'll be right back. Don't move."

There were a few cans of baked beans. The expiration date on them were all far over. Natasha sighed. She didn't know how they were going to feed the child. She had a few sustenance pills in her belt but that was the extent. Natasha turned back to the girl to tell her the news.

Czarina was vomiting into a corner of the room. The putrid smell hit her nose instantly. It wasn't the acidic smell of bile but something that churned Natasha's stomach further. The copper scent filled the cabin and threatened tears in Natasha's eyes. Czarina was throwing up blood all over the floor. Natasha rushed forward to the girl. She held back the girl's sheet of blonde hair as she finished her bout of sickness. Natasha steeled herself and brought the girl into her arms lightly. Czarina was crying. She knew full well what was going on with her.

Czarina was bleeding internally and there wasn't anything Natasha could do about it.


	3. Chapter 3

"I'm okay, Nasha," Czarina promised the red head after she had vomited.

"We need to get you help," Natasha said.

"I feel better," Czarina said.

"You need medical attention," Natasha replied strictly.

"I don't want to," Czarina squished her brows together, pulling a grumpy kid face.

"Czarina," Natasha said. "Вы больно. Мы спасем тебя." (You are hurt. We will save you.)

"Нет, Черная Вдова. Я сильная," Czarina replied. (No, Black Widow. I am strong.)

"Ты ребенок." Natasha grumbled. (You are a child) "Пожалуйста, царица" (Please Czarina)

"Ты не семь, когда вы присоединились, Наташа? Я буду бороться до конца."

(Were you not seven when you joined, Natasha? I will fight to the end.)

"Вы не должны действовать таким образом. Мы не в Красном зале." Natasha shook her head. (You don't have to act this way. We're not in the Red Room.)

"Я понимаю. Я хочу спать." Czarina said. (I understand, I want to sleep.)

Natasha sighed. She knew that Czarina was a warrior, a fighter. She would not accept help from strangers. She sighed, "Идите вперед, любить."

(Go ahead, love.)

Natasha watched sadly as the girl plodded over to her chair. Natasha sat on the edge of her bed, head in her hands. She sighed heavily.

Czarina was only 7. She was too young. Her head hurt, her stomach burned and she knew she was dying. What came after death, Czarina did not know. What she did know was that it was often seen as relief from the girls in the Red Room. They could fight and shoot and stab but they wore down over time. Death was like a welcomed friend, a break from the real world. When she had woken up, Clint had returned. She sat on her cozy armchair and watched as her heroes talked quietly. She thought that they were as close of a mommy and daddy as she would ever get. Clint was strong. He had a kind face and he was warm like a dad should be. He cared about her and that was the best part. Czarina smiled weakly. Natasha was nice as well. Natasha understood her and tried to be a mommy. She wasn't very good at it, but Czarina had to admit she loved her anyway. Czarina was glad she had met the two assassins. She had never met two people as cool as them. She smiled a weak smile and turned over, sleep taking her in it's grasp.

Clint and Natasha glanced at the girl, constantly making sure she was breathing.

"We need this storm to clear up, Clint," Natasha choked. Clint had not taken the news of Czarina's illness well. She knew that he wouldn't, but watching him break down was heartwrenching. Being her only anchor in life, he kept her grounded. He unraveled and she did too.

"We cannot wait!" Clint's desperation was raising. "We need to call SHIELD now."

"You can try, Clint." Natasha looked down at the ground, her heart sinking. "We didn't get a signal a minute ago."

"I will do everything in my power to save that little girl," Clint got a look in his eyes, ageing his face by years. "Oh, Nat. Nat.."

Natasha took his face in her hands. She took a shaky, breath and began tried to put him back together. If she did not do it, no one would. Clint fell into pieces, and she fell into him. "Clint, we will do everything in our power to get her out."

Clint leaned into her hands, nuzzling closer. He breathed steadily and looked Natasha in the eyes. "Tasha."

"We will get her out." Tasha's eyes had the Black Widow behind them. She looked strong and broken all at the same time. "But we must keep her safe for now."

"You would make a wonderful mother," Clint whispered.

"I would make a terrible mother," Natasha let out a strangled choke of a laugh.

"Maybe." Clint chuckled breathily.

"You know it." Natasha managed to roll her eyes.

"I do," Clint smirked half heartedly, "But I love you."

Natasha muttered a response into his chest as he turned on her communicator band. He would try again and again. After an hour, he finally got a patchy connection.

"Fury, thank goodness." Clint sighed into the mic.

"Barton, where the hell have you been?"

"Russia. Where the hell else?" Clint growled. "Get us out. We have a sick girl."

"Are you going to pick up a girl everytime I send you to Russia?"

"She is seven years old." Clint released a string of profanities. "Get. us. out."

"We'll be there in four hours,"Fury answered gruffly. "Get ready to go."

Natasha hummed sadly and kissed him lightly on the nose. "We will get through this."

"Like Budapest." Clint said.

"And Bhali."

"And Tokyo."

"Or San Francisco."

"And our first date."

Natasha lost it at the mention of their first date. She started laughing like she hadn't in years. Maybe if she were more sane it wouldn't have come out choking and gasping but Clint did not think anything of it and joined in, desperate for a little light.

The night was not funny, but rather it summed up their crazy and maniacal life together. It had started with a mission as most everything does. They won, the extraction team came in for the bodies, and they fled the scene. Natasha had specks of her own blood and maybe someone else's covering her left cheek. Clint's right arm was dislocated. They limped onto a Chicago street, the street lights making them look as pale and washed out as they felt. Clint took her hand in his and looked at her. He cleaned a speck of blood from the corner of her eye with his thumb. Light blue met emerald green.

'Want to go get a bite to eat?' Clint asked her suddenly.

Natasha looked at him as if he were the dumbest butt known to mankind.

'I'm hungry, I'm tired,' Clint sighed, 'And you manage to still look beautiful.'

Clint would have sworn she had blushed, but maybe it was the faint glow of gore on her face. Clint shrugged it off and took her hand in his. 'Shall we?'

'Clint,' Natasha sighed, 'Where will we go, all torn up like this?'

'I was thinking a bar,' Clint replied with a grin.

'Oh, classy,' Natasha rolled her eyes. She snuggled up on his side as they walked, anyway. She would insist it had been to support him on his aching legs.

There was pizza. They fought over something then there was beer. Soon after came some very sloppy kisses received by Clint. And then came the Russian Vodka. After that, the night went extremely well for the pair. Members of society within hearing distance of theirs may have complained but they were pretty happy. Natasha fell asleep, injuries forgotten, in Clint's arms that night. It was the first and most definitely not the last time.

Natasha giggled mercilessly into Clint's chest. Her giggles were turning into sobs slowly. Clint pulled Nat to his chest securely. He rubbed smooth circles around the small of her back. He could hear her uttering in Russian. When Natasha was at her weakest, she would cry in Russian. Clint pressed her lips to her head. "We should wake her."

Natasha wiped at her eyes. "Yeah."

"Come on." Clint offered her a numb smile. She took his hand.

It took ten minutes to wake Czarina. She was lethargic in sitting up. Her muscles were weak. She looked at them as if she were in a daze.

"Mommy, Daddy," Czarina groaned, "I'm not doing so good."

Natasha choked on her words. "Wake up, sweetie."

"We have doctors coming." Clint promised.

"Stay awake." Natasha cried.

"I... can't." Czarina said.

"Don't you leave..."

"Nat.." Clint tried to stop his distraught partner.

"No!" Natasha yelled. "Her life has been bad. She can't just leave. We- you promised her a chance. We could have gotten her a family. We could have gotten her out!"

"Not yer fault." Czarina looked Natasha in the eyes. Her eyes were strong, she was a fighter.

"No, it is..." Natasha cried. "It is. I was their model student. I was... It's my fault."

"No." Clint said firmly.

"What.. daddy said." Czarina mumbled again.

"It's okay." Czarina whispered. "I'm okay to die with you as my mommy and daddy."

"You-" Natasha stopped.

"You'll be okay." Clint finished for her.

"It's okay, Mommy," Czarina smiled. "Don't cry for me."

Natasha placed her hand lightly on Czarina cheek. "Don't talk like that."

"S'okay, Nasha," Czarina blinked away her sleepiness.

Clint placed a hand on Natasha's back again. He was uncharacteristically quiet.

Czarina closed her eyes again. "It's so warm."

"Please." Clint whispered.

"I feel better." Czarina choked out. "It's nice."

Natasha buried her head in Clint's shoulder. She would not watch this deterioration. Clint kept his eyes fixed on the little girl.

"I love you, mommy," Czarina rasped. "I love you, Daddy. I'm glad I got parents for a little. I'm so happy."

"Sleep well, my love," Clint said softly. He brushed her cheek with a kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you're all liking this ^.^""


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all are going to hate me.

Natasha sat near the little girl. Her hand was held to her tiny wrist. It was three hours after she had fallen asleep. The girl's pulse had slowed drastically. Her skin was white and pale. Clint was pacing methodically around the room. He was racking his brain for any medical information he may know on internal bleeding. There was nothing he could do. He knew that to be true.

It was a miracle she had lasted this long. The two just prayed to a god that they might not have believed in that she would make it to the SHIELD helicopter when it got here. They had state of the art medical. There was no doubt that she could be put back into health. The snow outside had finally stopped falling. The sun came out and began to wear down on the snow drifts around the cabin.

"We're going to make it, Clint," Natasha stood to console her partner. She placed a small hand on his lower back. "Fury is close."

"It's not us I am worried about," He snapped.

Natasha looked up at him. His blue eyes were broken and glistening with his unshed tears. Nat sat him down on the edge of the mattress and kissed his forehead.

"I know."

Clint sighed and pulled the red head closer to his body. He began to murmur into her hair.

"She could have really been ours, you know. She has blue eyes and blond hair, but it's wavy like yours. We could go on missions together. She could be the distraction, a sweet little girl. I bet she could kick some ass. She's beautiful like you, strong and fighting for every minute."  
"That's just fact in the Red Room." Natasha said, "You have no choice."

"But you do have the choice," Clint looked her in the eyes, "You could have given up, given in, but you choose not to. You two chose to keep fighting. You're strong. She's just like you."

Natasha was silent for a minute, and then, "She called us Mommy and Daddy."

"I want to be, so badly."

"When this is all over, we'll look into our options," Natasha promised.

They sat for a moment in silence.

Clint nodded solemnly. Clint moved back over to the armchair, taking the girl's pulse again. His took a deep breath after finding it still there, even if it was dangerously low. He brushed her hair from her face, lightly. Clint's expression was heavy with an emotion that Natasha had only seen once before. It was a rare and endearing look, one she had received from him only once when she was lying in a hospital bed after recovery from an explosion. He had told her he loved was what his expression was screaming in this moment. In the short time they were together, Clint had honestly become attached to this little girl. He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

When the helicopter arrived, workers flooded the cabin. Paramedics surrounded Czarina. They tried to take her on a gurney but Clint fought them off. He carried the girl to the vehicle himself. Paramedics took her from there, sending Clint and Natasha to grab some food. Sustenance was the only thing they lacked and their bodies were in good shape. The sat in the small room on the large aircraft, not touching the food their bodies so desperately needed. Neither of them wanted to eat.

Clint put an arm around Natasha and hugged her sat in eachothers arms waiting for news. Eventually a medic came into the room.

"What is the girl's name?" he asked, sitting across from them.

"Why?" Clint nearly growled.

"We need to set up medical records."He answered patiently.

"Czarina," Natasha answered this time.

"What were her ailments before you gave her medicine?" The medic asked, writing down the girl's name.

"She had a few strained ribs and a broken ankle." Natasha informed the man.

After a few more questions, the man was gone again.

"Do they usually do that?" Clint questioned roughly.

"I don't know," Natasha replied. "I've never brought anyone back."

"They didn't do that when you were in the ER," Clint's voice was low and dangerous.

"They already had files on me," Natasha pointed out. She had gotten on SHIELD's radar far before she was one of them.

"I don't like this."

Natasha rubbed Clint's back. "They're taking care of her. You're overthinking things."

Clint swooped down and kissed Natasha on the mouth. "I love you."

"Love is for children" Natasha bit back a small smile. "What I feel for you makes love look juvenile."

"Beautiful quote," Clint sighed.

"One by you." Natasha kissed him again, revelling in his warmth and the warmth on the aircraft.

"Can we keep her?" Clint asked suddenly, "Adopt her?"

Natasha bit her lip, "Do you really think.."

"We could have a kid," Clint nodded."We could do it, just me and you."

"I wasn't made to be a mother," Natasha shook her head, "The Red Room made that very clear."

"But here we are, getting a second chance," Clint replied.

"I can try." Natasha let her head fall, looking at her palms.

"Hey," Clint lifted her chin to look up at him, "You can do this."

"Only one of us could have custody," Natasha said, "We're not married."

"We could be," Clint shrugged.

"That easy, huh?" Natasha looked up at him with big green eyes.

"Want to?" Clint asked, "Get married, I mean."

"We basically are already," Natasha rolled her eyes.

"Then it would just be a paper," Clint suggested, "Just a legal confirmation of what we already know."

"We'll see."

Natasha leaned forward and kissed him again. Eventually, they felt more relaxed and less in mission mode. They ate, bumping shoulders. Their strength returned to them slowly.

Stumbling together, they made their way to a bedroom. They showered in shifts. Clothes were provided for them outside of the sleeping quarters. They were happy to finally take off their suits and put on civvies. Natasha slept, curled up against Clint. They huddled together, intertwined all night. When morning came, there was a knock on their door. It was Nick Fury himself. He lead them silently to a room, only giving them a slightly suspicious look at their sleeping arrangements. He sat them at a table and took a seat across from them. Natasha noticed his rigid attitude. She swallowed a bit. Clint noticed it as well, and went siff. Natasha slipped her hand into his below the table. The metal walls were extra strong in the room. There were video cameras, like an interrogation room. Fury stood, pacing the room for a moment. Clint squeezed Nat's hand in his own. His teeth were clenched. Fury cleared his throat after a long inhale.

"She didn't make it through the night."


	5. Chapter 5

Natasha nodded silently at Fury's words. She should have seen it coming. The girl was in critical condition for far too long without treatment. The information they had taken had been for her death certificate and file, not to get to know the child. It was inevitable that she would die. Thinking anything else of the situation was simply wishful thinking. She gritted her teeth to fight back the tears, nonetheless, because that little girl had meant something to her. She had been hope and love and a little sliver of happiness for those, now seemingly far too few, hours. She had been Natasha's daughter and it hadn't been through bloodline or genetics, it was through experience and general mutual caring. It was the same concept as how Clint and Natasha were family.

Clint was not faring as well as his redheaded partner. He was raging angry.

"We have the best medical attention in the entire world," Clint seethed, "Why the hell couldn't you save her?"

"She was beyond saving," Fury replied calmly. "Her bleeding had shut down almost all of her internal organs. It was too late."

Clint lunged for Fury but Natasha grabbed him. He struggled in her arms but Natasha kept her ground. Her nose bled from where Clint's elbow had made contact. She simply held him in an embrace. He went limp in her arms. They collapsed to the floor in a heap. Natasha stroked his back and willed him to calm down, whispering in his ear. It wasn't until tears began to fall that she knew he would be alright. Fury left them in the room, leaving the door unlocked behind him. They were welcomed to rejoin the rest of SHIELD when they were ready.

It was a couple days before the funeral. The tiny white coffin was carried by Clint himself to a hole that was dug by the assassins themselves. It was a beautiful hill in the middle of a graveyard. Her grave was intricately carved with beautiful designs that they hoped would have made her smile. The two were exhausted both physically and emotionally when they sat beside the grave.

"For better or worse," Clint said quietly, his first words all day. " I offer you my solemn vow to be your faithful partner in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, and in joy as well as in sorrow. I promise to love you unconditionally, to support you in your goals, to honor and respect you, to laugh with you and cry with you, and to cherish you for as long as we both shall live."

Natasha looked at him and replied seamlessly, "I will trust you and respect you, laugh with you and cry with you, loving you faithfully through good times and bad, regardless of the obstacles we may face together. I give you my hand, my heart, and my love, from this day forward for as long as we both shall live."

Clint nodded silently and took her hand. They sat there for hours in silence, but they could have a million conversations in that quiet. They were partners and as close to a married couple as anyone could get. They sat and absorbed the past days' events. They reflected and knew they would never understand why bad things happened to good people. They would never understand why such a pure and innocent little girl could be taken in such a cruel manner. It was wrong and it was the life that they lived every day. And while that little girl only got seven years of life, she would lend decades of strength to the only pair she had ever called mom and dad.


End file.
